Steering-controller



P. A. WEIGEL.

STEERING CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED 00113, 1919.

1,350,285. Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Philip A.Weigel.

UNITED STATES PATENT omens.

PHILIP A. WEIGEL, 0F RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TOEDWARD GUMBEL AND ONE-THIRD T0 GENEROSO DI GIACOMO, BOTH OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEERING-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Application filed October 13, 1919. Serial No. 330,233.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP A. VVnIoEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riverton, in the county of Burlington and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device that will preventaccidents to the front wheels or steering mechanism of automobiles incase the front wheels come in contact with a stone, rut or otherobstacle in the road while the car is in motion, and such other objectsas shall hereinafter appear.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the meansfor effecting the result, reference is tobe had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates thedevice attached to an automobile frame.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the device and Fig. 3 is a view taken on theline 2-2 of Fi 2.

bimilar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

The letter a represents the front wheel of an automobile which ismounted on the swivel part at of the front axle c. The spring I)carrying the front axle c is fastened to the main frame p to which isjournaled the stud shaft and on which is rigidly mounted the T-lever iby the key 1'; also mounted thereon is the Worm-gear-segment Z whichengages worm m mounted solidly with spindle n, to which the steeringhand-wheel 0 is fixed.

Mounted on the T-lever 2' at its support,

and co-axially therewith, is the ball lever The said ball lever f isslotted, as shown at s in Fig. 3, to pass the bar it which is secured tothe T-lever 2' by means of pins t through openings in lugs it providedintegral with said bar It at each end thereof.

The bar It as aforesaid, is provided at each end with the integral lugsu. Washers are provided on said bar It on either side 0 the slottedopening 8 in said ball lever f. Spiral springs g are positioned aroundsaid bar it and between said lugs u and washers all as particularlyillustrated in Fig. 2. %Vhen the hand-wheel 0 is rotated motion isimparted to theT-lever 71 through the worm and gear-segment Z, theT-lever 11 thereby impartlng motion to the ball-lever f, by thecompression of the springs 9 between the lugs u and washers q, in eitherdirection, accordlng to the direction of rotation of the hand-wheel 0.

By the resistance to compression of springs g, the motion in the T-lever i causes motion in the ball-lever f which further im- Y tion withanautomobile frame, of a stud shaft journaled thereon, aworm-gear-segment and a relatively rigid'T-lever mounted on said shaft,a ball lever mounted co-axially with said T-lever, a bar carried by andsecured to lugs on said T-lever, a slotted opening in said ball lever,said bar passing through said opening, washers on said'bar on eitherside of said ball lever, springs po-.

sitioned around said bar and between said lugs and washers and means foractuating said segment, substantially as described.

2. In a steering controller the combination with an automobile frame, ofa stud shaft journaled thereon, a worm-gear-segment and a relativelyrigid T-lever mounted on said shaft, a ball lever mounted co-axial withsaid T-lever, a bar carried by and secured to lugs on said T-lever, aslotted opening in said ball lever, said bar passing through saidopening, springs positioned around said bar and between said lugs andball lever, arod, connecting said ball lever With the front axle of theautomobile, and means to actuate said segment, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

PHILIP A. WEIGEL. Witnesses:

MAHLON VAN BOOSKIRK, JAMES S. Omen.

